KFV appeals: protective clothing and device knowledge are particularly important.
Vienna. If the hardware stores open again next week as one of the first measures, the Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KFV) fears an increase in do-it-yourself accidents. Because many want to get the garden, house or apartment back in shape, injuries can result. Under normal conditions, 14,000 such accidents happen every year that have to be treated in the hospital.
Doctors from several hospitals in Austria are already reporting particularly serious accidents, according to a KFV broadcast. “We urgently appeal to Austria’s DIY enthusiasts to minimize the risk of accidents and to use the appropriate protective equipment,” said KFV prevention expert Johanna Trauner-Karner. The majority of all do-it-yourself accidents are due to distraction, hecticness or carelessness.
Take special care when working with equipment
A third of the injuries caused by accidents during home improvement are cut, saw and stab injuries and often occur when working with a chainsaw, flex, knife, planer, nails or circular saw. “Special care is required when working with devices. Comprehensive knowledge of the device in question is just as important here as wearing suitable protective clothing,” said Trauner-Karner. “Anyone handling a chainsaw should wear cut protection trousers. If there is a risk of being hit by parts lying around, wearing safety glasses is a must.” Another common type of accident is falling: one in five is injured when falling – for example from a ladder.
Almost two thirds (64 percent) of all injuries in home improvement concern the upper extremities. A wrong blow with a hammer or a wrong handle, the fingers are particularly at risk. 45 percent of all injuries involve one or more fingers. The most common types of injuries are broken bones and open wounds. But amputations are always necessary.
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